There are numerous publications concerned with the provision of compositions which are said to generally repel or attract (for example to traps) biting insects. These include U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,226; GB 899,289; U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,216; U.S. Pat. No. 6,660,775; WO 03/009688; abstract for JP2002308706; abstract for JP101 17657; abstract for JP10139602; U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,551; WO 02/13607; U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,786; abstract for JP11060421; abstract for JP7126110; GB 925,243; abstract for JP20002363006; abstract for JP1 019004; WO 02/71840; abstract for JP9030906; U.S. Pat. No. 6,660,288.
Interestingly, mosquitoes (Culicidae), midges (Ceratopogonidae) and other flies (Diptera) that bite a range of vertebrate hosts to obtain blood, demonstrate preferences between species and within a host species. However there have been relatively few studies which have investigated inter- and intra-species host-preferences in these organisms 1-9, 14.
Many factors are believed to determine preferences, but for human hosts, studies have demonstrated that differential attraction is determined by volatile olfactory (i.e. volatile chemical) cues that emanate from the skin and associated microorganisms, or breath 15, 16. Specifically, recent evidence suggests that relative attractiveness is caused by differences in olfactory cues provided by individual hosts10-13. However the actual chemical basis for relative attractiveness has remained undefined.
The provision of novel compositions or uses for controlling the behaviour of insects and inhibiting the activity of biting insects against hosts to which they are attracted would provide a contribution to the art.